So here's what's been going on...

Arabesque and I are in school until the end of next month (scary how fast the time goes) and then it's summer vacation!!! Until then, we have a speech coming up, and two projects including this insane World War II scrapbook. Anyway, Chapter 8 of ANTIDYSTOPIA will be out whenever Arabesque writes it (it's in Heruna's point of view). I can't really tell her to hurry it up since that would be hypocritical. Chapter 9 of Find Me will be out when I figure out what should happen before more bigger things happen.

While you're waiting for the stories to pick up again, you can hop over to Arabesque's blog, Random Thoughts, and read all the stuff that we post there. Both of us just pondered the future.

♥Skittlez

Find Me--Chapter 8 ~Marcus~

All of the eighteen year-olds came pouring into the room we were in after the first explosion. Dillon, Chase, and Violet quickly found us and ran over. Seth, Rae and Isaac came over too.

“What’s going on?” Dillon shouts.

“Someone’s attacking the building,” an official answers, trying to stay calm. “We have to get out of here!” He instructs us to follow him up the stairs and out of the east exit. Everyone starts sprinting up the stairs, but Skye stays put.

“Skye?” I ask. She has a distant look in her eyes and a stricken look on her face. She doesn’t answer me, but snaps out of whatever trance she was in and follows everyone else up the stairs.

The official thrusts open the door only to find that nothing but flame lies behind it. He curses under his breath and tells us to follow him to a different exit. He instructs Dillon to shut the door and runs off to find another while everyone follows. Before Dillon closes the door, I see a sweep of auburn hair amongst the bright orange flame. It can’t be, I think to myself, but whether it really was Olivia or not, someone was out there, probably needing help.

I dash out the door and immediately feel like I’m being roasted alive.

“Marcus!” I hear Skye shriek behind me. I look back, and see her running toward me. The door seemed miles away. “What are you thinking?” she shouts at me. I don’t answer right away, I just keep running. As I come to her body, I figure out that it was in fact Olivia, and she didn’t look good. Her skin was badly burned, the ends of her hair were singed, and I she was in some unnatural position on the ground.

“I was thinking that Olivia needed my help,” I respond, not meaning to sound sarcastic. She doesn’t make a sound as I scoop her up, and I try to reassure myself that she was still alive. “Don’t worry Olivia, you’ll be fine,” I whisper to her.

“Do you need me to help?” Skye asks between the crackle of the fire. Beads of sweat were gliding down my face and I could feel my skin starting to burn.

“Just watch my back,” I say. We begin to race back to the door; Olivia limp in my arms, and Skye trailing behind. It can’t be more than five yards away, but the flame surrounding us makes it seem a lot farther.

Skye screams behind me, I look back and see her face down on the ground. A bullet had grazed her lower leg. They were close, we had to get back inside, but then find another way out. I see Dillon rush out the door and pick up Skye and follow me. There were more gunshots as we both run through the door and Chase slams it shut. I set Olivia gently on the floor.

“Olivia, Olivia!” I call, desperate to see her green eyes open, to know that she’s still alive. She stays still for the next few minutes, but just as I’ve lost nearly all hope, her eyes flutter open.

“Marcus?” she asks. Her voice was quiet and strained. “What happened?” I can’t help but give a weak smile. She looks around at everyone. “You’re all okay,” she says. “I was afraid that—”

“I’m sorry Olivia,” I say, picking her up again. “We’ll explain everything later, but we really have to get out of here.” As if on cue, another bomb goes off, exploding the wall to our left into a pile of rubble and shooting us with bits of debris.

The nine of us hurry up another flight of stairs, no one in particular in the lead.

“Out here!” Rae shouts, motioning toward the door that leads to the fields. She holds open the door for everyone. We’re all running for our lives, breathing heavy, trying to stay positive while hearing gunshots, explosions, and crackling flame in the distance.

Not a moment too soon we reach the forest and see a massive group of people including officials, nurses, cooks, and other residents, trying to stay hidden between the trees. We all sit on the grass and catch our breath. The officials were trying to see that everyone was accounted for, while the nurses were floating around tending to those who were hurt. I let Olivia rest her head on my lap.

“Are you okay Olivia?” I ask gently. “What happened?”

“My skin’s burned and I’m kinda dizzy and my head hurts, but I don’t think anything’s broken,” she answers weakly. “I was in the fields with Caleb and Lyra and we were walking back when the first bombs went off and a fire was burning at the east end of the building. I knew you, Skye, Dillon, and everyone else were working there so I just wanted to go in and make sure you were okay…”

“Oh Olivia,” I sigh. “I just want you to be safe. You’re my sister. I wish you wouldn’t put yourself in harm’s way just to try and save me. I can’t lose you.” She supports herself on her arm and moves into a sitting position to face me.

“But you’re my brother,” she counters. “I know you’d give your life up for me. Is it so wrong that I’d do the same?” It’s useless to tell her that to me, yes, it is wrong. She doesn’t know how horrible it’d be if I lost her.

She lies back down. “What happened after that?” she asks.

“A bomb blew up one of the rooms downstairs,” I begin. “An official led us upstairs to the east exit, but it was blocked because of the fire. He led everyone else to a different exit, but I thought I saw someone outside in the fire lying on the ground. I could’ve sworn it was you. So I ran outside to get you, and Skye followed. But they started shooting, and got her in the leg. But we all made it out alive.” She’s silent. Then, Dillon walks over with Skye limping at his side.

“Are you okay Olivia?” Skye asks her. She and Dillon both sit down next to us.

“I suppose…” she replies. “You?”

“I will be,” she answers, looking down at the cloth she pressed against the wound.

“We really have to get out of here,” Dillon says. “They aren’t just harming us. By being here, we put everyone else in danger.” We all nod in agreement.

Skye and Olivia finally get the attention of a nurse and one comes over and helps them the best she can with the limited space and supplies.

“When should we leave?” I ask Dillon. He glances over at Skye and Olivia; at their poor condition.

“As soon as possible.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

HEY GUESS WHAT?!?!

IT'S SOMEBODY'S BIRTHDAY TODAY!!!

NO, NOT MINE.

I'M NOT THAT SELF-CENTERED.

IT'S ARABESQUE'S BIRTHDAY!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARABESQUE!!!




♥Skittlez

Some Updates

As you can see, after my long disappearance, I finally got around to writing chapter 7 (with some...lots of help and nagging from Arabesque). She is working on Chapter 8 (which is in Heruna's point of view) and that should be out within a week or two as she is less of a procrastinator than I am. I am writing chapter 8 of Find Me and that should be out within the end of the week.

Arabesque and I are also working on a Random Situations post on her blog, randomthoughts328.blogspot.com, where Cassia and Xander are reaped for The Hunger Games (I'm writing it in Cassia's point of view, and Arabesque is writing in Xander's), so look forward to that.

♥Skittlez

ANTIDYSTOPIA by Skittlez & Arabesque--Chapter Seven

Chapter 7

Ira

“Ira! Come down here!” Viann shouts. I sigh. I was reading a book about the history of knives. I mark the page and set it down. I walk down the stairs to see Viann at the door talking to some official-looking lady.
“Hello, you must be Ira,” the lady says. She extends her hand but I ignore it.
“Hi, what do you want?” I ask. Viann elbows me but says nothing. She’s been nagging me about my social skills. I’ve been telling her that I’m ten years rusty.
The lady looks me in the eye and says, “I am Eralia Rendri-Ottridge. I’m here on behalf of Queen Heruna, she has selected both of you to be heads of a project.”
Viann lights up and excitedly inquires on what the project is. Eralia is clearly happy to see that at least one of us is enthusiastic.
“Well, the project is building a memorial dedicated to loved ones lost in the ten years of violence Surubi just emerged from. It will be placed in the center of town. You have six months. The budget is $1 million. You have Surubi’s finest at your disposal. Any questions?”
“No! It sounds fun!” Viann exclaims.
“Very well then,” Eralia answers courteously, “Good luck to you both. Now may I ask you to look over there?”
Naively, Viann turns. I continue to watch her. Eralia winks at me and turns my head. I turn back, and she’s gone. Hmm… Eralia Rendri-Ottridge. Ottridge? Where have I heard that before? Oh my gosh, Eralia is Kolan’s wife. Which would mean that she’s an Elite as well… but why would she be helping Heruna then?

***

I’m mulling over why it is Eralia would be Kolan’s wife but play for the opposing side... unless there was no opposing side. I did suspect Kolan had ulterior motives, but I didn’t have an idea. I decide the next time I run into him I will question him.
Meanwhile, Viann starts hounding me with ideas for the memorial, which I couldn’t be more uninterested in.
“I was thinking that we could make a stone fountain and maybe somehow get all the names of the people who died to engrave on it,” Viann proposes to me. “I think Mom would’ve liked that.”
“Don’t mention her...or Dad,” I say stiffly, trying to prevent my voice from cracking.
“You act like they never existed!” Viann shouts at me. I could see it in her eyes that she was hurt. “You act like you want to forget them,” she said more calmly, but with a tear sliding down her cheek.
“Well you try to act like nothing’s changed!” I snap. She keeps her eyes set on me, but doesn’t say anything. “Everything’s changed, why can’t you see that?” I add before running out the door and slamming it behind me.
I get a glimpse of dark clouds looming above me, I even hear thunder in the distance, but I keep going until I reach the forest. It starts to rain then. I sit down on a fallen tree trunk and let the raindrops splash on my face and soak my clothes. What does it matter anyway?

Looking around, I realize how alone I am. Since I usually have to watch my back to make sure no one’s about to attack me, I’ve never had the time to have felt lonely. I know Viann and I shouldn’t be arguing; the only family we have left is each other. But we hardly ever see eye to eye. She thinks that acting like Mom and Dad never existed is so wrong. Though, now more than ever I wish they were here.

I’m not the crying type of person, let alone when there are people around, but right then, I start to sob.

***

It was at least an hour before I trudged back to the house sopping wet. I see Viann at her desk, scribbling furiously. I choose to avoid her for now and walk upstairs silently.I I drift to sleep after a while.

***

I’m running through a forest. A big, black mass is tailing me, and I run for my life. Eventually, I tire out and take cover in the carved out trunk of a big tree. Ira, Ira honey. I hear a soothing voice call. I look up to see my mother and father standing in front of me.They’re smiling like nothing’s wrong and it frustrates me.

“Hello Ira, dear. You’ve grown so much,” my mother says with a smile, as though she just went away for a while and came back now.

“Wha...What’s going on?” I ask, confused. “What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean Ira?” my dad asks me. “We’re your parents, where else would we be besides with you and your sister?”

“But...but...” I start, but I can’t find the right words to say or the right questions to ask.

“Shh... honey,” my mother says, “We need to talk to you.” I look around me and try to figure out what exactly is happening but I feel disoriented and my brain is muddled.

“You see Ira,” my dad starts to explain. “Your mother and I, we really aren’t dead.” My eyes widen and I stand there, frozen, gaping at him.

“What are you talking about?” I nearly shout at him.

“Just let your father finish,” my mother says calmly. I back off and continue to listen.

“Things were getting bad throughout the country, but it was by far the worst here. We were sent away with very short notice,” he continues.

“Where? Why? What about Viann and me?” I ask.

“A while ago, they were trying to move everyone to a place with a better government system, so we got sent to...” my mother starts, but stops short.

“Where, where?” I ask urgently. Instead of answering, my parents fade away right before my eyes.

“We love you,” my mother calls in a distant voice. Then, she nor my father are nowhere to be found.

***

My eyes pop open and I sit up on my bed. I was dearly hoping that that wasn’t just a dream; that there could be a chance that my parents really were still alive, and it was just a matter of miles before I could see them again. Though there was a part of me that couldn’t shake the possibility that it could be a hallucination.

I head downstairs to see Viann still sitting at her desk, but with her head in her hands.

“Hey,” I say, coming up behind her.

“Oh hi,” she responds, sitting up and rubbing her red eyes.

“I had a dream,” I begin. “And our parents...they weren’t dead. They were just--”

“Ira,” Viann cuts me off. “You have to move on. You refuse to talk about them and hate it when I even mention either of them, and now you think that they could still be alive based on a dream you had. They wouldn’t want us to keep grieving about them. You have to let go, Ira.” I hate it when she’s right. There wasn’t much else for me to say, so I just trudged back up to my room.

I knew it was a long shot, but I refused to give up on the chance that my parents really were still alive. That they were just out there somewhere waiting for us to find them. But then that would mean that for all this time, our parents left us alone to defend ourselves purely for their own safety.

The thought that they could still be alive is quickly numbed by my anger toward them.

ANTIDYSTOPIA CHAPTER 7 PREVIEW

Chapter 7

Ira

“Ira! Come down here!” Viann shouts. I sigh. I was reading a book about the history of knives. I mark the page and set it down. I walk down the stairs to see Viann at the door talking to some official-looking lady.
“Hello, you must be Ira,” the lady says. She extends her hand but I ignore it.
“Hi, what do you want?” I ask. Viann elbows me but says nothing. She’s been nagging me about my social skills. I’ve been telling her that I’m ten years rusty.
The lady looks me in the eye and says, “I am Eralia Rendri-Ottridge. I’m here on behalf of Queen Heruna, she has selected both of you to be heads of a project.”
Viann lights up and excitedly inquires on what the project is. Eralia is clearly happy to see that at least one of us is enthusiastic.
“Well, the project is building a memorial dedicated to loved ones lost in the ten years of violence Surubi just emerged from. It will be placed in the center of town. You have six months. The budget is $1 million. You have Surubi’s finest at your disposal. Any questions?”
“No! It sounds fun!” Viann exclaims.
“Very well then,” Eralia answers courteously, “Good luck to you both. Now may I ask you to look over there?”
Naively, Viann turns. I continue to watch her. Eralia winks at me and turns my head. I turn back, and she’s gone. Hmm… Eralia Rendri-Ottridge. Ottridge? Where have I heard that before? Oh my gosh, Eralia is Kolan’s wife. Which would mean that she’s an Elite as well… but why would she be helping Heruna then?

ANTIDYSTOPIA Chapter 7... out soon hopefully (blame Skittlez)

Keep up with the sched, and check out behind the scenes at Random Thoughts.

Muchos Gracias,

Arabesque

Find Me--Chapter 7 ~Olivia~

Working in the fields that day helped me keep my mind off of the bullet holes in the wall. I tried to focus on what a nice day it was instead; the sun warming my back, the gentle wind picking up and setting down my hair. This was always my favorite time of year. Early spring, when the flowers were blooming and the weather got warmer.

As I make my way down the next row of apple trees, I hear something. I set down the heavy basket of apples I’d been lugging around all day and walk slowly toward the sound. As I get closer, I see a girl with brown hair. Then I realize that the girl is Lyra and the sound I’m hearing is her singing. In my attempt to get closer, my foot finds a twig and she turns around with a start.

“Sorry,” I apologize. “I didn’t mean to sneak up on you like this.”

“That’s okay. You can come join me if you want,” she said. At least I’m pretty sure what she said. This was the first time I’d ever heard her speak and naturally she had a quiet voice. Though she didn’t object when I carried my basket over, set it down next to hers, and sat down with her on the grass. She was shy, and didn’t make eye contact.

“You have a beautiful singing voice,” I tell her. She smiles and blushes.

“Thanks,” she answers. “It means a lot.”

“Is there a reason that you never speak?” I ask her. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, I was just wondering,” I add. Her smile fades and she looks in the opposite direction. I think I see a tear slide down her cheek.

“I’m sor—,” I start, but am interrupted.

“My parents hated me,” she says, so softly even after moving closer, I could barely hear her. “They said everything that came out of my mouth was garbage and that they wouldn’t hear it. When I told them I wanted to be a singer, they told me that no one would listen to such horrible noise. When I was nine or ten, I started believing them. I stopped talking because I feared that everything I said was garbage. They still hated me though. They beat me and cursed at me. Then, just two years ago, they emancipated me and I was brought here.” More tears left her eyes. I hug her shaking body.

“I know no amount of apologies will make it up to you, but I’m really sorry,” I whisper. “I can’t believe they had the nerve to treat you like that.”

“No,” she says, voice shaking, “you’ve already made it up to me. You listened to me.” I pull her closer to me and find a tear running down my face.

“Thanks,” she says as I wipe the tears off her cheeks. Then, not worrying about the consequences, we each pluck an apple off of a tree and bite into them. The simple things, like feeling the sweet juice of an apple fill my mouth and dribble down my chin, are the things that make me smile these days.

“So you haven’t talked to anyone?” I ask, hoping the subject wasn’t too delicate.

“Well, there was one other person before you…” she starts. I felt like I had a pretty good idea on who that was, then, as if proving my hunch correct, Caleb appears.

“Hey Ly—,” he starts, then finds my face and pauses. “Oh, hi Olivia,” he says slightly nervously. He flashes a questioning look at Lyra and she nods in response. I took that at as him asking her if I knew everything, but I can’t be sure.

Caleb sat down next to her. I wasn’t sure if they had any feelings for each other, but they would probably rather be left alone anyway. It seemed like Caleb and Lyra met to talk almost every day out in the fields.

“Well,” I say, picking up my basket of apples, “I guess I’ll see you guys at dinner.”

“No, it’s okay,” Lyra says. “You can stay if you want.” Caleb doesn’t seem totally thrilled, but doesn’t say anything. I hoped I wasn’t intruding, even if Lyra did offer, but I didn’t want to keep picking apples, so I set my basket down again.

“How old were you?” Lyra asks me after a short pause. “You know…when your parents passed.” I flashback to the day six years ago.

“I was ten,” I answer. “It was scary. Just hearing all the gun shots and explosions. Seeing the flames out your window. Then waking up the next morning to find your parents missing. And then hearing that they had been killed. Before I knew it, I was being hauled off to an unknown place with people who the only thing I knew about them was that they were in the same situation I was in.” I remember sobbing that morning. I even remember Marcus crying, no matter how hard he tried not to.

“I’m so sorry,” Lyra says sympathetically. Caleb nods in agreement.

“Do you think you’ll ever be safe?” Caleb asks. I bite my lip and squeeze my eyes shut.

“I hope so,” I whisper.

We decide to start working again after half an hour or so; sauntering up and down rows upon rows of apple trees. When our baskets fill up with bright red, gold, and green apples, we walk back toward the building to get another basket to fill. We had been talking about life before here and I got to know them pretty well.

Shrieks and shouts fill the air in the distance. We exchange looks of confusion and panic and sprint as quickly as we can with the baskets of apples in our hands. As the building comes into view, I see bright orange flames consuming the entire east side and spreading fast. I stand there frozen, then think about everyone still inside. Everyone working the fields and even some people who were inside and lucky enough to escape were running away, I look over at Caleb who had grabbed Lyra’s hand.

“C’mon Olivia!” he shouts over the chaos. “We have to get away!”

“You two go!” I respond. They’re hesitant to leave me behind. I dash toward the building in hopes of getting inside and finding the others.

“Olivia!” I hear Caleb shout behind me, but ignore him and keep running. I’m engulfed in smoke as I near the building and immediately start coughing. A tall concrete structure with flames spilling out from the inside looms above me. I feel the fire’s scorching heat surrounding me. There are a series of screams. Then a deafening explosion.

The blow threw me back and I landed hard on the ground in a twisted heap. I open my eyes a bit, only to see smoke and flames everywhere. I felt my skin being burned. My whole body was sore especially my head. I couldn’t find the strength to get up. To run away.

It was getting harder and harder to breathe. Between gasps for air, I felt myself start to fade. My vision was getting blurry. The noise got quieter.

Then everything; the pain, the heat, the shouts, disappeared.

(By the way, I realize that it should've been Marcus's chapter, but I've had this thing with Lyra planned for a while and couldn't think of anything interesting from Marcus's point of view. ♥Skittlez)